Reports Are Coming Out Saying Liftie May Not Have Been Paying Attention When NJ Man Suffocated At Vail

According to a report from The Denver Post, a Vail chairlift operator was not paying attention when a visitor from New Jersey suffocated on that chair after his coat became caught on the lift. This report comes from an incident report that was filed about the death this past February.It was on this past February 13th that Jason Varnish, 46, of Short Hills, NJ, died of positional asphyxia at Vail Mountain's Blue Sky Basin area. Varnish's jacket was caught on the chair as he attempted to board, which lead to the jacket becoming too tight around him. This was confirmed by the Early County coroner, who also ruled the death as accidental.This incident report says that Varnish's companion, Steven Skolnick, told Eagle County Deputy Devan Salazar that Varnish struggled to get onto the chair. Varnish's clothing became caught on a rubber stopper on the bottom of the seat, which witnesses have said was in the upright position. Skolnick also said, again, via the incident report, that Varnish was lifted 20 to 25 feet off the ground and attempted to get the operator to stop the lift. The report also said, "The lift operator was not paying attention and had been cleaning off snow in the area."
Skolnick "told the lift operator to reverse the lift," the report said. However, the lift operator said that he could not reverse the lift without permission. It was shortly after this that the lift was reversed and Varnish was cut away from the chair. At that time Varnish was unconscious and CPR was performed.

As the investigation of the death of New Jersey skier Jason Varnish continues, it appears that his death did not happen that way it was originally reported or thought to be. According to a report from the It is being reported that a man has been killed in an accident involving a chairlift at Vail, Colorado.